You can still hug a polar bear if you buy a Nissan Leaf, but ecological sensitivity no longer is required: In a new marketing campaign that marks a decided shift, Nissan now wants you to buy its trailblazing all-electric vehicle if you just want to save some money getting to work and to the supermarket.

Nissan has been disappointed with US sales of Leaf for its first few years on the market; sales of EVs and plug-in hybrids have fallen below expectations across the industry despite a record run of high gasoline prices. American consumers simply haven't proven ready to adopt these vehicles as a practical proposition, mainly because they still can't go very far on a charge.

So after three years of emphasizing the green credentials of the market's first mainstream EV, and how you really can find charging stations scattered across the landscape, Nissan's advertising now will deliberately expand Leaf's appeal beyond environmentally conscious drivers to the legions of Americans who are simply budget conscious.Continue reading...

JCPenney hires Y&R to help with marketing turnaround.

Fiat weighs listing on New York Stock Exchange and considers IPO after it completes merger with Chrysler.

Amazon develops device to stream video to homes.

Burger King expands delivery service.

Carfax hit with antitrust suit by dealerships.

Dr Pepper Snapple finds RC Cola Ten success a pleasant surprise.

Fisker Automotive takes bludgeoning on Capitol Hill.Continue reading...

Alibaba names next CEO.

Denny's cancels franchise deal in China.

Google shows off sample apps for Project Glass a SXSW.

American Airlines and U.S. Airways prepare for merger bumps.

Apple and Samsung values soar.

Barney's New York rebrands Co-op stores as regular Barney's.

BlackBerry stock jumps on Lenovo takeover interest rumor.

BMW to build sub-brand for China.

Boeing sees investigators focus narrowly on batteries in Dreamliner probe.

China's Spring Airlines adds cars to in-flight sales offering.Continue reading...

Toyota sets to reclaim world sales crown as GMand Volkswagen vie for No. 2 and hints at elimination of Matrix model.

Domino's Pizza founder sues over Obamacare contraception coverage mandate.

McDonald's tries to get franchisees to stay open on Christmas.

Akamai taps co-founder as new CEO.

Burger King works with franchisee to expand in Mexico.

Chobani nears openingof huge new factory in Idaho.

Cosi uses pop-up unit in Chicago to test growth ideas.

Cox cable TV guide offers personalized recommendations in U.S. first.

Discover Communications makes key European deals.

Facebook counts on big deal with Walmart.Continue reading...

It's tough going these days for electrified vehicles -- despite rising gas prices. The Chevrolet Volt has had its unique struggles; Nissan Leaf is being "re-contented" to boost the appeal of aspects of the car other than electrification; and a new study by R.L. Polk says that hybrid buyers simply aren't warming up to the technology: hybrid repurchase rates now are flat with three years ago.

But piercing the gloom around hybrids and EVs is one nameplate and one brand: Prius.

Toyota stole a march on hybridization over a decade ago with the original Prius, and finally last year began extending the brand family with vehicles larger (Prius v) and smaller (Prius c) than the original. Those moves -- plus the restoration of "normal" Prius production nowadays compared with the supply constraints of last year -- have greatly enhanced Prius's reign as king of American hybrids. Continue reading...

The U.S. economic climes are growing about as balmy as the unseasonably warm weather expected next week when global automotive media and industry executives descend on the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. And car brands from Acura to Volvo are poised more than they have been in a few years to try to take advantage of the platform to launch new models, brag about technological innovations, tease with concept vehicles and spin their stories to several thousand curious journalists, bloggers, TV producers and hangers-on.

Overall, NAIAS will feel more like the golden days of yore than a Detroit show has in years. For example, Nissan is making a return to the exhibit after a couple years' absence during the Great Recession. Fuel economy and electrification will continue to be strong themes as they have been for the past few years, but with a slow but steady multi-year recovery in the U.S. market underway, auto brands will be emphasizing "happier" themes such as exterior-design departures and interior connectivity technologies.

Audi plans to use the show to unwrap a concept "Vail" version of its compact Q3 just for the U.S. market, where the company plans to introduce several more models in the years ahead as it tries to supplant BMW as the world's largest luxury-car maker by 2015. Audi sells only about half as many vehicles in the American market as BMW and Mercedes-Benz at this point, but the Volkswagen-owned brand has been growing by leaps and bounds in teh U.S. already. Audi executives have said they're also looking at the idea of making SUVs in the United States as its two German rivals do already.Continue reading...

Single malt Scottish whiskey is certainly the fuel for many good times, but now whiskey (or at least its byproducts) is fueling the Bruichladdich distillery – as well as a Nissan Leaf electric car.

The 130-year-old distillery, located on the remote Scottish island of Islay, uses waste products of whiskey distillation to produce gas, which powers a generator that provides enough power for all the electricity needs of the distillery operations. Mark Reynier, managing director of the distillery, also uses the whiskey-based electricity to power up his 2012 Nissan Leaf, which handles his 16-mile round-trip commute with one charge a week.Continue reading...

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Taxi and Limousine Commissioner David Yassky today announced the winner of the city's Taxi of Tomorrow competition: the Nissan NV200.

“It’s going to be the safest, most comfortable and most convenient cab the City has ever had,” said Bloomberg at today's press conference about the winning vehicle, which will feature a paint job that pays tribute to the city's iconic Checker Cab company, which closed last year.

“We started this process to leverage our taxi industry’s purchasing power to get the highest quality taxi, one that that can expand and redefine the legendary image of New York City taxicabs," he added about the prize, which is worth $1 billion to the winning automaker.Continue reading...